Anonymous, Feb 10th

[MsBlack]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_McPherson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_%28Scientology%29 (Again for those who neglected to glance at it the first time)

The blacks' protesting against segregation in America was, as far as I know, without (for the most part) official government aid. Those speaking against the Nazi administration didn't have their government's help (yes, they arguably weren't successful, but they weren't wrong).

The 'Church' of Scientology is not a church by definition; it is not Christian. It charges its members to learn about its 'religion'. It rejects scientifically-backed medical care. They murder, blackmail and attack those who stand against them. A more adequate description of them is a company, a pyramid scheme (although admittedly all religions are pyramid schemes, even if not in the financial sense).

Anonymous are not even protesting against the 'religion' of Scientology itself. They are protesting against these callous acts by it. They are being peaceful. The reaction of those speaking against them seems to have been a reflex deploration against the purported evils against free speech, when that's not what Anonymous aim to do. They merely aim to inform, hopefully so the public will see the 'Church' for what it is. If their method of informing through non-violent means, their method of peaceable resistance, their method to educate is unethical, please state how.

Finally, it is just whack:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu
~

I suggest the detractors actually bother spending a few seconds for the relevant links provided and do research before automatically decrying Anonymous as some anti-free-speech, terrorist group.

[Burning Zeppelin]

Ironically, suggesting that what Anonymous is doing is anti-free speech is denouncing free speech themselves.

[MsBlack]

Yeah. The only thing people who believe in absolute free speech seem to compromise that principle to do is ardently defend it and criticise others for not also believing it. Freedom of speech does not mean one has to accept others' perspectives, merely one has to tolerate them. Freedom of speech means freedom to criticise freedom of speech, so they lose either way.

[Burning Zeppelin]

Speaking of freedom of speech, I hate it when someone on a forum says something, and gets warned for saying it, and then complains that it is against "freedom of speech". Freedom of speech is the freedom to say what you want without fear of violent or hateful retribution from the public, or any punishment from the government.

[Thought]

There is an old saying that a teacher of mine was rather fond of:
"My right to swing my fist ends where your face begins."

Free Speech, Freedom of Religion, indeed most Freedoms are limited by responsibility; we have them only as long as we do not abuse them (neglect, sure, but not abuse).

[MsBlack]

Well, I went to the London raid armed with a camera... and a brother a.k.a. the Troll.

We arrived at Queen Victoria Street about 45 minutes late (11:45), but everyone was still there. I mainly took photos and videos. After a bit the Troll got hungry, so we finally found a Starbucks (or was it a Costa) and he had a brownie and coke. We started heading back to Queen Victoria Street but saw some Anonymous heading for Tottenham Court road, so we followed. I handed out some flyers and after walking for probably an hour (including past Trafalgar Square and the Chinese New Year celebrations), we finally reached our destination.

After the I accompanied the Troll to MacDonalds, I started handing out more flyers, then an anonymous suggested I rip a Scientology leaflet in front of our crowd. The first time I was probably the first to do it, then the second time I got the troll to video me and some people snapshotted me. A police officer pretty much said he'd arrest me if I went in front of the recruitment centre again. After that, we came back home.

Between the two... 'ripping's, I handed out more fliers. By the time we left, I'd taken about 100 photos and/or videos and I'd estimate I handed out about 175 flyers. And probably nearly got stabbed by a self-styled schizo. All-in-all, a success.

[Kebrel]

Your one of the Anon, MsBlack?
*sigh*
Teenagers are always the first to go.

[MsBlack]

Ah, how wonderuflly condescending. Yes, I am. I'll try to link to Flickr when I've uploaded.

[ZeaLitY]

Hah, interesting. The Troll sounds like he did surprisingly little for being the bigger internetter.

[MsBlack]

Indeed, just like at the Harry Potter launch. For a 'troll', he's a pissy wimp in real life. Admittedly, he did enable me to go.

[ZeaLitY]

Nothing beats Guy Fawkes masks in this entire thing.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[MsBlack]

The last video we took: http://www.mediafire.com/?cltnzyp9nh1

[Burning Zeppelin]

@Z: Is that from the Sydney raid, since there were quite a few of those. The protest was covered on current affair shows like ACA and Today Tonight, and I'm sure it'll be on youtube soon.

[ZeaLitY]

Yes, I downloaded an FLV from Youtube and made a screencap.

Hearing rickrolls was the funniest part of it all.